Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Following career-best effort, King Fury gives Fayette a try
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Ken McPeek will never know if King Fury would have won the Kentucky Derby because, well, nobody will.
Instead, McPeek will have to settle for wondering “what if” after incurring the disappointment of having to scratch the late-running Curlin colt from the May 1 Derby with a minor but poorly timed lung ailment. King Fury has done his part in maintaining a foothold among the best of the current 3-yearold crop, with a 13-length romp in his last race, the Bourbon Trail on Sept. 25 at Churchill Downs, grading out to a careerhigh 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
“It was an ultra-impressive race over the Churchill track, one that makes you wonder how he might’ve done in the Derby,” McPeek said when entering King Fury for the closingday feature of the 17-day fall meet at Keeneland, the Grade 2, $200,000 Fayette Stakes on Saturday.
“The Fayette is a logical next step for him,” McPeek said. “He needs to show he can be just as competitive against these older horses. If he can jump through this hoop – which I expect he can, as super as he’s doing – it’ll be a nice setup for the Clark,” the fall highlight at Churchill on Nov. 26.
In his first start versus older in the 1 1/8-mile Fayette, King Fury and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. figure to have $2.9 million earner Code of Honor as their most formidable rival. From the rail, this is the field: Sleepy Eyes Todd, Manhattan Up, Militarist, Night Ops, Independence Hall, King Fury, Code of Honor, Fort Peck, and Major Fed.
The 64th Fayette is the ninth of 10 races on closing day and the last of three straight stakes. The secondary features are the $150,000 Bowman Mill (race 7), which will have eight 2-yearolds going six furlongs on the main track, and the $150,000 Bryan Station (race 8), which drew 13 3-year-olds going a mile on the turf.
General admission is unavailable for closing day, meaning all four Saturdays at the meet were sold out as Keeneland maintained a policy of limiting ontrack attendance to about 20,000 amid the ongoing pandemic.
Rosario to ride Churchill meet
Joel Rosario plans to ride the balance of the Churchill fall meet after the Breeders’ Cup, marking the first time the star jockey has ridden regularly at Churchill at this particular time of year. The 21-day meet starts Sunday and runs through Nov. 28.
Rosario, who into this week led all North American riders in stakes (63) and graded stakes (45) victories this year, already has enjoyed tremendous success at Kentucky tracks this season by riding 14 stakes winners while also setting several records at the rich Kentucky Downs meet in September.
Rosario’s targeted dates at the Churchill fall meet are Nov. 10-28. His agent, Ron Anderson, said Rosario’s main venue during the coming winter has yet to be determined.
As with the 12-day September meet, this will be a dirtonly meet at Churchill. All sod work has been completed on the newly renovated turf course, which is scheduled for first use at the 2022 spring meet.
As usual, the Sunday opener at Churchill will consist exclusively of 2-year-old races, led by twin $200,000 stakes going 1 1/16 miles, the Street Sense and Rags to Riches.
◗ In her first timed work since she won the Open Mind on Sept. 18 at Churchill, the standout sprinter Sconsin breezed a halfmile in 48.60 seconds before dawn Wednesday at Churchill for trainer Greg Foley. Sconsin is being pointed to the $300,000 Dream Supreme on Nov. 13, a six-furlong race also expected to get familiar rivals Bell’s the One and Club Car.
◗ A one-vehicle accident that occurred before dawn Wednesday on Keeneland property near the top of the Headley Course chute at the 4 1/2-furlong pole resulted in no serious injury, according to a spokesman for the Lexington police. Training was suspended as emergency vehicles attended to the accident, but time was made up with training allowed during the second regularly scheduled harrow break (8:30-9).
◗ Ted Bassett, arguably the most influent individual in Keeneland’s 85-year history, celebrated his 100th birthday with a brief visit Tuesday morning to the office he still maintains at the track. Bassett held every major senior position in more than 40 years in track administration.